A pledge by Labour members they would not introduce a charge for garden waste collections in Nuneaton has been challenged.

During local election campaigns in May, leaflets were sent to residents promising green bin charges would be introduced.

Seven months later the council has announced that it will cost householders £40 as of February next year if they want their green bins collected.

Opposition Tory councillors claimed at a meeting the authority began considering plans for charges in June, just a month after the election.

Cllr Kris Wilson, leader of the Conservative group, said: “Apparently from the information I have been given, the controlling group have been working on this since June.

"Could they explain why they went to election with literature saying ‘we will not charge’ and then straight after being put back in power in June, begin the wheels in motion to actually charge residents for their green bin waste.

"Basically misleading, some may say lying to the public.”

But both the Town Hall leader, councillor Julie Jackson and Cllr Jill Sheppard, cabinet member responsible for refuse, blamed the Conservative government’s cuts to the budget for the unpopular decision.

Tory cuts to blame

Cllr Sheppard said: “Tory austerity has led to these cuts that we are having to make, the cuts to local government funding, as you know, the money we have to find this year is over £1m so we are having to make difficult decisions, by using it as an opt in service as least we are given residents a choice for this decision.”

Cllr Keith Kondakor questioned why the council is insistent on the £40 charge when neighbouring authorities are charging almost half of that.

“People understand why we have to make a charge but they are absolutely livid that the charge is £40 for collection when the actual cost of colllection is £20,” Cllr Kondakor said.

“People want to know why this hasn’t been called in by the Tories but people also want to know is why aren’t we looking at a lower charge, and why aren’t we looking at ‘pay as you go’ as a lot of people only put their green waste bin out once or twice a year. £40 a year is a really retrograde step. This borough earns £140 a week less than people in Rugby, and so. I ask why we haven’t considered a lower charge and pay as you go.”

Cllr Rob Tromans questioned why the council would not use some of its reserves to pay for the scheme until the start of the financial year, when the situation could be looked at properly.

“These are very drastic changes being made to services in year, there shouldn’t be any changes in year and, if something has changed, reserves should be used until there has been proper consultation with the public

“Rather than keep adopting this dirge policy of making these decisions quickly, why have they not, more prudently, used reserves if something untoward has all of a sudden come up during this budget?”

'We did not want to go down this route'

But council leader, Cllr Julie Jackson hit back and said: “I think we are living in some kind of parallel universe.

"Local government has had 60 per cent cut in its Revenue Support Grant, councils up and down the country are having to make very, very difficult decisions.

“This authority did not want to go down this route but we have had to look at the realities of it.”

She said that delays in finding out how much funding the council receives from the government, coupled with extra expense in paying for homeless accommodation and a rise in recycling charges from China has hit the Town Hall coffers.

“Two thirds of councils have now introduced charges for green waste collection,” she added.

“It isn’t a statutory service, is something that we have chosen to provide.

"Up until now I am happy that this council has been able to provide that free to people. Last year we introduced a charge for a second green bin and sadly we are having to make decisions that if we have the appropriate funding from central government we wouldn’t haven’t to take.”

She concluded that the Tories should speak with MP Marcus Jones to help the council: “Ask him to get an urgent settlement for local government and to get more money on the table so we can do the things we really want to do.”